The Secret Daughter of the Half Blood Prince
by annabella520
Summary: Left with her father Severus Snape on the night of Lily and James Potter's death, Dawn Morgans lives the first eleven years of her life oblivious to the hatred towards her beloved Dad. When she arrives at Hogwarts, she finds that not everyone likes him, and ends up keeping the biggest secret of her life as her father slowly drifts further and further away from her. OC ?
1. Prologue

I would like to dedicate this story to the amazing and wonderful Alan Rickman who left us today. This is for you, Always.

It was obvious to anyone that spent time with him that Severus Snape had loved Lily since the day he met her. That fact would never change. Yet, in his heart, he had always known she would not return that love in any way more than the purest of friendship. So, of course, Severus had tried his best not to end up lonely and miserable. In the end he wasn't, but not in the way he expected. Instead of a wife, he gained a daughter.

Severus had three relationships in his life. The first was Samantha Milligan, a fellow Slytherin in his Monday potions class in 6th year. The second was a young Narcissa Malfoy, believe it or not, for a year after leaving Hogwarts.

The final was a fling, full of lust and nothing more. A welsh girl called Delilah Morgans. She was home-schooled, adventurous and free. Neither of them had love for the other, but each needed comfort when they met. Much like Harry would appear at the Dursleys, on the same night Delilah turned up to Severus' door, begging him to take the child. Her family had not taken well to the baby girl, and would force it into a home should he refuse her.

Already, he had lost Lily, and had realised the bad of his ways with Voldemort. Caught at a moment of weakness, he took his child. While he could often be cold and distant, he loved her very much. Dawn grew to be much like her mother, chaotic and wild. Her brown hair was short and pixie-like, her nose pointed. She had the skinny build of her father, gangly and a little too tall for her age of eleven. Dawn went to Hogwarts full of hope and excitement. What she got didn't quite meet her expectations.

 **HEY GUYS**

 **thanks for reading :) any reviews are welcome- good or bad**

 **a quick note- I am going to be developing a relationship within this fanfic, and was wondering whether you would like me to tell you all? I don't want to ruin it but I realise some people may want to know before reading further on. Let me know your thoughts in the review section.**


	2. Chapter 1: The Sorting

Dedicated to Alan Rickman. This is for you, Always.

 **CHAPTER ONE – The Sorting**

Dawn did not take the Hogwarts Express to get to school. She was distraught when her father informed her she would be travelling up with him,  
"I'll be doomed to live seven years without a friend in the world! Everyone will already know each other!"  
"First-years will not make friends within the first train journey, Dawn," he looked down at her sternly, "I will be making sure all the people you spend time with are appropriate, don't you worry."

Dawn frowned and looked up from the floor, catching his tired eyes. He cracked a small smile but it didn't relieve her unease at his statement. Her father being a professor was scary. For one, she used to only see him in holidays and was cared for by the servants in term time, and that meant much more social time with him. She loved her father, but they were not close. He was often distant, as if stuck in the past. Locked in his study out of reach. She longed to be closer to him, and this was her chance. However Dawn did worry he would interfere, and that was the last thing she wanted.

Dawn stood at the door of the great hall shivering. The vast halls and cold stone walls were far removed from the warmth of their country house. She hopped from one foot to the other, waiting as the minutes ticked by but Soon a stern woman wearing emerald robes and a tall pointed briskly entered the hall from the Great Hall. She inclined a small nod at Dawn, as voices started to echo down the stairs, a hundred children her age chatting and laughing, until they were silenced by the icy stare of the professor. A small round boy with ears that stuck out from his small head stood next to Dawn, and gave her a nervous but warm smile, and hushes slowed to a stop around the room. The emerald woman paused for a second, then briskly began to speak,

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your future classmates but before this we must sort you into your houses." Dawn shuddered with nerves. Her father had not spoken at all about the ceremony and she only knew about the sorting hat from Nelly, her governess. She felt her father would wish her to be in Slytherin, but knew very little about the other houses. Dawn's train of thought was lost when the boy next to her lunged forward and grabbed a toad from at the professors feet. His yell earned a giggle from their vicinity, and Dawn felt her face redden for him.  
"While you are here, you're house will become your family. Successes will help you win points, but rule-breaking and misbehaviour will help you loose them. The house cup will be awarded at the end of the year. Good Luck. I will call you through when the ceremony is ready to begin." And as quickly as she had entered the room before, she left.

Dawn smiled at the boy clutching the toad,  
"I'm Dawn Morgan. Is that your toad?""  
"Yeah, I think so anyway. Trevor had a spot like this on his right leg. But I mean, I've got him mixed up with my cousins before, so I don't know," he nervously garbled, "I'm Neville Longbottom by the way."  
"Nice to meet-" Dawn was cut off when a loud boy introduced himself to a boy in front of them,  
"Harry Potter, at Hogwarts? I have to say I did not expect that. The name is Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." The boys blonde hair was slicked back and he wore his sneer like a crown. Dawn frowned at the boys, watching their interaction. She knew the story of Harry Potter. His survival of the killing curse was practically a fairy tale, albeit a one that her father had technically banned, but Nelly never listened to that. Dawn craned her neck to try and see his face but was placed close behind him to get any more than the back of a head. Malfoy she also recognised, her father definitely knew some of his family, but how she did not know. He never let her meet any of his friends, which she assumed was because they were all boring professors like him.

The professor finally returned, breaking them up and guided them all into the packed hall. Dawn stuck next to Neville, trying to maintain the one friend she had made. Did exchanging names make them friends? She hoped so. Everyone was staring, from the ghosts to the teachers and students all eyes lay upon the new group of witches and wizards joining the school. Dawn began to feel sick, her stomach churning. She didn't know what to expect. Did the sorting hat learn what kind of person she was? Dawn didn't feel she knew herself so the fact that a sorting hat apparently could seemed less than likely. She panicked, worrying if she would actually fit into a house. How much would she humiliate her father if the hat refused her- wouldn't let her in. It could even be possible she was a squib, Dawn didn't have a clue. Harry Potter was sorted into Gryffindor and Dawn made a wobbly movement towards the stool. McGonagall was smiling, trying to reassure her, but her hands shook so much the entire school would surely see.

 _This one is going to be a difficult one._ Dawn nearly jumped off the stool. _No need to be afraid, I'm just having a bit of a poke about in this brain of yours. A bit of a quirky one here I see. Interesting that you lack the ambition of your father. Adventurous, and full of hope. But there is a lot of fear. And loneliness. Creativity of a Ravenclaw, but the stubborn recklessness of a Gryffindor. You're father was near a Ravenclaw, but_ _no... he had a darkness._ Dark shook more. She was learning more about her father than she had in the entirely of her like within this very moment.

Then suddenly the hat bellowed- **GRYFFINDOR!** It didn't register with Dawn till she was sat at the table, being thumped on the back by a freckled ginger boy, who had just been called before Harry. The applause rang in her ears and there were smiles from all around. Gryffindor. That was… unexpected, but good. She glanced at her father, knowing the rivalries between her house and Slytherin. His expression was unreadable, until the corner of his mouth twitched into the half smile he kept for special occasions. His eyes confirmed his pride for her.

Dawn sighed, and settled down for the largest feast of her life.

Hey all, thanks for reading further than the prologue! Just to say that I am off University for a week and a half so want as much written as possible. After that I hope to post 2/3 times a week. If anything changes I'll be sure to let you all know as I know I always want to be kept updated with the fanfics I read. The story will run through to the end of Dawn and JKRs lovely characters time at Hogwarts, but I may have to split into separate stories if it gets too long. I am super excited about this, and hope you are too! Be sure to leave reviews!

-The characters and stories are not mine, except for Dawn. The rest is all the beautiful JKR's.


	3. Chapter 2: Professor Snape

Dedicated to Alan Rickman. This is for you, Always.

Chapter Two: Professor Snape

"Say, Percy? Who is that teacher next to Professor Quirrell?" Harry Potter was sat opposite her, staring up at the staff table. Dawn stayed quiet, but listened intently, zoning out of Neville's chattering about his Grandmother.  
"That's Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house."  
"What's he teach?" Harry asked curiously,

"Potions, but everyone knows it's the Dark Arts he fancies. He's been after Quirrells job for years."

"Isn't he pure evil?" The ginger boy, Percy's brother Ron pumped up from beside her, taking a bite from his chicken drumstick. Dawn's stomach dropped, "That's what Fred and George said. But then they also said the sorting ceremony was fighting an acromantula spider in front of the whole school." He took a bite from a second drumstick,  
"Well, I really prefer not to gossip about teachers, being prefect and all," Percy sat up pompously, "But he really is the most disliked in the school. He's nasty, really. Penelope Clearwater said that even most of his own house don't like him."  
"So much for not gossiping, Percy." Another ginger boy piped up,  
"But he is pretty bad," his twin added, "I'm George, by the way," he nodded at Harry and Dawn, who smiled back weakly, "and this is Fred."  
"Yeah, since clearly _Ron_ wasn't going to introduce us-"

"Hey- I was eating-"  
"Obviously. Besides, rumour has it that Snape had affiliations with you-know-who back in the day." Fred leant in for dramatic effect.

"Right, let's stop that talk right there. Clearly that is not true, Dumbledore would never employ him."

Dawn was so relieved Percy had stopped the conversation there. She should have said something really, he was her Dad after all. She knew he wasn't a bad person. Maybe she was bad for not sticking up for him. The stuff to do with Voldemort scared her though- it was awful that people thought that of him. And how could she explain that she was his family now? They would think her odd for not saying earlier. Something held her tongue though, nagging at the back of her head. A million questions whizzed around until she was brought back into the world by the smell of chocolate and peppermint. Dessert had arrived.

When the feast ended, Dawn was so full she felt like she was waddling up the stairs, which _moved._ They actually moved. And there were portraits everywhere, even on the ceilings. She made note to tell her father off for not telling her about all the cool stuff hanging about Hogwarts. She was put in a dorm with Hermione Granger, a bossy and bushy haired but good-natured girl, the girly and chatty Lavendar Brown, Pavarti Patil and Eloise Midgen. They sat up talking about the lessons they were attenting tomorrow- Transfiguation, then double _Potions._ McGonogall was meant to be strict but fair, but there had been lots of scaremongering of Snape, by their reaction,  
"I heard he's alright, you just have to make sure you listen." Dawn attempted,

"Yeah right," Eloise muttered, "My brother has had Snape for three years running and hasn't survived a week without a detention. You'll see."

"Surely he can't give detentions out for no reason, though?" Hermione pondered. Dawn went to bed that night with an intense feeling of dread. People already hated Snape before even having a lesson. She decided to wait out dropping the bombshell that she was his daughter. After the lesson they would see he wasn't so bad. It wasn't worth panicking the friends she had made by declaring he was her father. They didn't share the same surname, so that wouldn't be a problem in registers.

She still carried her mothers surname, the one she never knew. Hopefully she would be able to spend more time with her father now she could meet him on evenings and weekends. Dawn had too many questions now; about her mother, about him, even herself. Things she had never dared to ask before. This was the opportunity. Dawn had one of the most restless nights sleep she had had in years.

"Potions is a unique subject." Professor Snape burst in to the dungeon classroom with so much of a dramatic flare that Dawn nearly fell off her seat. "There will be no foolish wand waving in this class." She was sat between Harry and Lavender in the middle of her class. "I can teach you how to bottle victory, brew glory and even put a stopper in death."  
Dawn tried to catch his eye through his speech, smiling. His eyes seemed to look at everyone but her, darting around the classroom like daggers. Eventually his eyes rested next to her,

"Harry Potter… our new celebrity." Harry scratched his ear uncomfortably. "Tell me… what is the different between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?" Harry shook his head,  
"I, urm, don't know sir." Snape tutted loudly,  
"I think it would be best for you to listen then, since you clearly know so much about potions." The professor sneered sarcastically, and Malfoy sniggered in the background.  
Dawn's jaw dropped. Harry had been writing notes on what he had been saying, and she knew he would know that. He was purposely picking on harry to get laughs from the Slytherins. And Dawn… well she was invisible. He hadn't so much as looked at her. As the lesson went on Dawn felt herself beginning to brew with anger. She had hoped he would be better than this, but the rumours were true. How could she even consider telling her new friends who he was? They wouldn't believe her, by the way he acted, let alone accept it.

At the end of the lesson Dawn started to approach the desk. Hermione looked inquisitively at her, probably wondering why she would bother with such a teacher. But before Dawn could even reach him, he caught her eye. It was empty, unrecognising, but not cold,  
"And what may I help you with, Miss. Morgan?" Dawn stopped. She glared at him, trying to keep her breathing calm. Then, without a word, turned on her heel and left the room.

-What's up with Snape, eh? Shunning his own daughter? We will see… just a quick note. I know that I've implied Snape's death eater past several years too early, but just felt it would work better with the story. A lot of the story is going to explore her relationship with her father and doubts in her faith of him, so I wanted suspicions embedded in early. Also, sorry if this chapter is a bit iffy. Please let me know what you think. Things are gonna kick in within the next few so please bare with.


	4. Chapter 3: Dad

Dedicated to Alan Rickman. This is for you, Always.

Chapter 3: Dad

A few days later, Dawn was sat at dinner between George and Harry. She was slowly starting to feel like Hogwarts was becoming home. Charms had been successful, with her making a good attempt a wand movement that made her dung beetle do what looked like a half-hearted tap-dance; not quite the salsa of Hermione's, but it was better than Neville's, which fell asleep.

"Seamus, how's your nose?" Dawn called across the table, "I heard you nearly singed your nose off in potions?"  
"It's just a scratch, but at least I didn't burn a hole in my robes," he called back.

"Do we have a budding pyrotechnic?" George asked Dawn, nodding to Seamus, "We need a new fellow prankster."  
"Really? I thought Lee was right hand man?"  
"Unfortunately he's busy wooing a lovely lady at the present time." Fred leant over, "So the job is free."

"Dawn, what do you're parents do? They're both wizards, right?" Harry asked,

"Yeah, urm. My Mum left me with my Dad when I was young so I don't really know about her. But my Dad, well, he's away most of the time. Boring office stuff."

"I didn't even know wizards could have office jobs," Harry laughed,  
"Someone has to do it," Dawn smiled back. A shadow fell over them.

"Miss. Morgan, could you please follow me a moment." Her dad's voice, lowered and stern, felt unfamiliar. Harry caught her eye and a look of worry was evident in his eyes. Again, Dawn felt Hermione's curious stare.

Dawn followed Professor Snape quietly through the Great Hall and down to his office in the dungeons. Through his office was a small bedroom and living area. It was cramped and small, a single bed unmade in the corner and parchment strewn everywhere. He turned to face her and silently motioned for her to sit. Dawn looked up pleadingly at her father. She hated seeing him the way he was around the school. Looking up at his tired face, and she practically ran to hug him, burring her face into his robes, trying to stop herself from welling up. The Professor hugged her back tightly, then after a few seconds, pushed her away.

"Dawn, we need to talk."  
"I know, I'm so relieved you're talking to me. It's horrible seeing you that way in class and I-"  
"I don't mean like that. I mean… about people you are associating yourself with." And within a second he was stern again. Dawn gaped, stunned,  
"What? I thought you were joking! What's wrong with who I hang around with?"  
"Potter is an arrogant boy, and I do not need you to be turning into one of his followers like that Weasley boy-"  
"Dad-"  
"This is not in question. You cannot spend time with him."  
"He's nice to me! We're friends! What would you even know about him?"

"I might not know him, but I know his father. All his has done in potions lessons is prove himself to be of the same ignorant and arrogant breed as his father."

Dawn felt her throat tighten, but hold it int.

"So you ignore me for a week, shun me when I try to talk to you after class, don't even try to spend time with me and the one time you do its because you want to stop me making friends? Is that what this is?"  
"Dawn I am only helping you." He sat down, suddenly looking exhausted,  
"I don't care. I want my Dad. I never saw you before, and now we can see eachother every day! I wanted to get to know you. Clearly the feeling isn't mutual."

Dawn thought she saw a flicker of some emotion in his eyes, but it went away to emptiness in a flash.

"Dawn, I only want what is best for you." His voice came out dry and careless. He sounded exhausted. Then, knowing it was useless to try and understand him, Dawn turned on her heel and walked out without a word. He didn't even try to call her back. As soon as she left the room, she regretted it. She still has so many questions; Maybe even more now.

She didn't stop until she was in her dorm room. The girls stared at her as she entered; Snape at the Gryffindor table was such a rare occurrence that everyone saw. Dawn washed herself before anything else, scrubbing at her hands and underneath her nails until they were red. She was exhausted. The anxiousness of pleasing her father, her new friends, her teachers was becoming unbearable.

Running a last hand through her boyish hair, she clambered into her four poster bed, drawing the curtains around her. The last thing she saw before she cut herself off from the world was Hermione's eyes, analysing her cautiously.

It was Halloween. Dawn had spent the past few weeks trying to chat with other Gryffindoors. She wasn't ignoring Harry, Ron and Hermione, she just didn't sit with them as much. As much as she had planned to ignore her father, she had no idea what he would be like if she rebelled against him.

Now she mostly sat with Neville, Dean and Seamus. They were chatty and open, eager enough to talk rather than listen, which worked to Dawn's advantage. As of yet, she had managed to avoid talking of her home life. Her classmates knew she was a pureblood, she didn't know her mother, and her father did some boring admin work. At least some of it was true.

The teachers of the school, however, were not ignorant. They knew full well who she was. The day before, in charms, Flitwick held her back to ask how she was getting along. McGonagall was overly nice to her; contrary to her usual harshness.

Dawn was sat at dinner, eating her way through a turkey leg, when she felt it. Dumbledore's gaze. She caught him a few times, and tried to ignore it. Something kept nagging at the back of her head. Why did all the teachers take such an interest in her? As far as they knew, Snape was her Dad, but what difference would that make? The best guess she had was that they were surprised she was in Gryffindor, given Snape being head of Slytherin.

"You alright, Anna?" one of the ginger twins waved a hand in front of her face. George, she predicted. He seemed to be the more contentious one.

"I'm alright, just in a daze" Dawn smiled, "Snape's given us double potions homework, is all."

"Ah, that's enough to ruin anyone's night." Fred chipped in.  
"Wait until you get to third year- double potions! Four hours of hell." George groaned, "You first years have it easy."

Neville turned to them, shaking his head.

"Seamus is trying to do the water trick again. Next time you are sitting next to him Dawn, he's a nightmare."  
"If he could actually do it, he would be great prankster material." Fred sighed,  
"Maybe in a few years. We will teach him." George finished dramatically. Dawn rolled her eyes as someone tapped her on the shoulder,  
"Harry? You okay?" He looked worried,  
"Have you seen Hermione?"  
"I don't think so? Is she not here?" Dawn glanced around.  
"Padma Patil said she was in the girls bathroom crying. Apparently someone was really mean to her after Charms."

Harry looked stricken, and walked away without a word to Ron further down the table.  
"Wonder what's up with him?" George frowned.

"I bet they accidently said something to her. They're always arguing." Dawn shrugged, "I wouldn't worry."  
"Will you help me with the Transfiguration homework later, Dawn?"  
"Sure Neville, though I really don't understand it all that-."

Suddenly, the great hall doors crashed open and Professor Quirrell marched in.  
"Troll in the Dungeon! Troll in the Dungeon!" The hall went silent, and a pinprick could have been heard. He hit the floor in a dramatic faint after a moment, and Dawn's stomach dropped. A troll in Hogwarts? Neville squealed along with many of other students, whereas Fred and George began chattering excitedly. Dawn caught her fathers eye. He looked more serious and cold than ever, but gave her a small nod.

 _"Silence!"_ Dumbledore bellowed, "If everyone could please, not panic. Prefects, lead you houses back to their dormitories, and teachers follow me." Before he even got his words fully out people were screaming again, more with excitement with anything. Dawn was swept up with the crowd and had no choice but to follow the sea of excitable students. She got dragged in the middle of a group of Slytherins but before she was pulled away Fred grabbed the cuff of her robes and pulled her back, sandwiching her between him and George kept a hold of her arm as they made their way up the stairs until she stopped and looked around, panic setting in. "Dawn what-," Dawn turned around,  
"Harry and Ron! Theyre looking for Hermione! Dawn ran down the stairs, taking two and three at a time. She just about made it to the dungeon floor when she ran straight into a tall figure in dark robes,  
"What do you think you are doing here?" Snape glowered at her,  
"Harry and Ron went looking for Hermione! I need to find them."  
"I think the staff are slightly more capable than you solving this matter."  
"Dad I-,"  
"No. You will go straight upstairs and not stop until you are in Gryffindor's common room."  
Dawn reluctantly nodded. She had no idea where they would be. She began to turn but Snape caught her, and pulled her into a hug. Dawn froze for a second before relaxing into it. As much as they disagreed, he was still her Dad.

THANK YOU to everyone who has followed or favourite my story. As this is my first proper fanfic, it means the world. Snape and Dawn's relationship isn't great, but given Snape's history I am trying to reflect what I feel he would be like. He loves her, but doesn't know how to show it. Don't worry: I am sure it will all work out fine. They will have a few downs before that comes though.

Time is going to pass a little more quickly now as Dawn settles in.


End file.
